Snape's Character Growth / Would Harry forgiving Snape be character growth...

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 164176

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > <snip>
> > And finally, it puts too much growth onto Snape. Snape will be   
> > where the action is, while Harry doesn't grow too much at all.
> > However, if most of Snape's redemption has taken place off-screen 
> > and  Harry learns about it on-screen, the action will all be on   
> > Harry's side.
> > <snip>

> >>Quick_Silver:
> I think that you take it too far in the other direction when you   
> say that Snape isn't going to have his own growth in DH. I think   
> that Snape and Harry are going to do grow concurrently in DH and   
> the result will be a forgiving Harry and *redeemed*, DDM!,          
> (whatever) Snape. As an example/speculation I can't help but fill   
> that Snape's opinion of Harry's skills/talents/attitude is partly   
> being built up to be knocked down.

Betsy Hp:
I think I do tend to err too much on the side of no-movement-at-all 
Snpae.  Partly because I like the character of Snape so much I have 
to actively fight against putting his story front and center in my 
mind.  But also because I'm not entirely sure where JKR will take 
Snape.  Will it be a happy ending or a tragic one?  

If tragic, than Snape's death would have to involve a fateful flaw of 
some sort, wouldn't it?  In which case, I think there'd be a lesson 
not learned (or learned too late).

I do suspect that either way, Harry's seeing Snape as he truly is 
will help finalize Snape's redemption in Snape's own eyes.  I suspect 
Harry's forgiveness of Snape's past wrongs (wrongs the DDM! flavor of 
Snape *must* include) might equal (in Snape's view) Lily's 
forgiveness of Snape, and that this is the impossible goal a remorse 
filled Snape had set before himself way back when.

> >>Quick_Silver:
> <snip>
> Snape would become the guy that never got over Hogwarts and what   
> happened to him there. How could Harry not treat that Snape with   
> some pity/bemusement/contempt? Totally speculating here but I think 
> that Snape still has the chance to move beyond the Marauders in     
> form of Harry. 

Betsy Hp:
Oh, I hope you're right!  I'd *love* for Snape to finally get beyond 
his resentment and hate of the Marauders.  I'm really big on the 
healing of the House rift theme in the books.  So I'm quite sure 
Harry and Draco will reconcile in some manner.  How cool would it be 
if Snape were somehow able to reconcile with his Gryffindor foes?  
I'm just not sure how such a thing could happen, or that JKR will 
take Snape in that direction.

On a slightly different note:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/164147
> >>Alla:
> > <snip>
> > What is this if not forgiveness?

> >>Pippin:
> Mercy. At least that is what I would call it and that is what      
> Dumbledore speaks of. 
> <snip>

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/164148
> >>Jen: Dumbledore showed Draco mercy on the tower...<snip>

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/164164
> >>Carol:
> <snip> ...but I think what he [Dumbledore] actually shows Draco    
> (and the young Snape) is mercy,... <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Eureka!  Thank you all for that insight (talk about great minds 
<g>).  That is much more Dumbledore's thing: mercy, not blanket 
forgiveness.  Dumbledore doesn't have the power to forgive someone 
all of their past wrongs.  But he does have the ability to mercifully 
allow someone a chance to do better, to make a better choice.

And this is a lesson I can see Harry learning as part of his 
character growth.  Heck, I can even see it as a part of his eventual 
defeat of Voldemort.

Betsy Hp (loves this list!)